Christian Fiction Blog Alliance - Merry Humbug Christmas

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Merry Humbug Christmas

B&H Books (October 15, 2013)

by

Sandra D. Bricker


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

For more than a decade, Sandra D. Bricker lived in Los Angeles. While honing her chosen craft of screenwriting in every spare moment, she worked as a personal assistant and publicist to some of daytime television's hottest stars. When her mother became ill in Florida, she walked away from that segment of her life and moved across the country to take on a new role: Caregiver.

The author says that it was her 8th novel that opened the door to finding her way as a writer. "I'm a Christian woman, first and foremost," she says. "So it was a bit of a dream-come-true when Summerside Press chose me as one of two authors to launch the Love Finds You line."

Sandie's real-life role as cancer survivor has parlayed into her steadfast commitment to raising awareness and funds for ovarian cancer research. Spearheading a series of devotionals for Summerside Press (such as the popular His Grace is Sufficient...Decaf is Not), the author has stipulated that a portion of each contributor's proceeds will go to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

"Being allowed to combine my faith and my humor with raising funds for my pet projects ... and still pursue my writing dream," says Bricker, "well, that's the best of all worlds, as far as I'm concerned!"

And one of the author's pet projects is animal rescue, evidenced by the special bond she has created with one particular formerly-abandoned puppy -- a red-haired collie with "killer brown eyes and the heart of the class clown."

ABOUT THE BOOK

A Merry Humbug Christmas features two holiday romance novellas from hilarious and heartwarming author Sandra D. Bricker. -- the perfect gift to yourself or someone else at this most wonderfully stressful time of year.

 In "Once Upon a Jingle Bell," A Bah! Humbug cruise to the Mexican Riviera is Joss Snow’s answer to this year’s quest to avoid the holidays completely; at least until she’s rebooked on a different kind of cruise altogether. Candy canes, holly wreaths, reindeer and ornaments seem to be stalking her on the 12 Days of Christmas holiday cruise extravaganza. An escape back to land is her only goal . . . until she meets a kindred spirit in rugged Irishman Patrick Brenneman, and then the game is on! Avoid Christmas festivities at all costs . . . except maybe for that one stop under the mistletoe.

In "It Came Upon a Midnight Deer," Reese’s guilt over abandoning best friend Joss on their holiday tradition of avoiding all things Christmas is trumped by the joy of her recent engagement. Meeting Damian’s family for the first time on idyllic Sugarloaf Mountain is about as far from that Bah! Humbug cruise as she can get, and Reese can hardly wait to get there. But from the moment they hit that deer in the road just two miles from the cabin, everything seems to go wrong. There are no drummers drumming or pipers piping this particular year! And once she sets her future in-laws’ family cabin ablaze, she’s pretty sure there won’t be even ONE golden ring in her future.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Merry Humbug Christmas, go HERE.

My Thoughts:

How can a person turn down reading a Christmas story, let alone two? I love Christmas and could easily read Christmas stories and listen to Christmas music all year through. So when I was given the chance to read and review Merry Humbug Christmas I jumped at the chance.

Sandra D. Bricker has a gift of writing humor into her stories and with the two stories within the covers of Merry Humbug Christmas I was happily entertained with her gift. I guarantee you will find both stories, Once Upon a Jingle Bell and I Came Upon a Midnight Deer enchanting and humorous. The same main characters live within the pages of both novellas.

I would highly recommend Merry Humbug Christmas to anyone who likes to read something light and funny set during the Christmas season. 

On a 5-Star Scale = 4 Stars.

I would like to thank Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and B & H Books for my review copy.  I received my copy for free in order to read and give my honest review, which I have done.

Smiles & Blessings,

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance review of Raw Edges by Sandra D. Bricker

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Raw Edge

Abingdon Press (September 17, 2013)

by

Sandra D. Bricker


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

For more than a decade, Sandra D. Bricker lived in Los Angeles. While honing her chosen craft of screenwriting in every spare moment, she worked as a personal assistant and publicist to some of daytime television's hottest stars. When her mother became ill in Florida, she walked away from that segment of her life and moved across the country to take on a new role: Caregiver.

The Big 5-OH! was released by Abingdon Press in the Spring of 2010, and the novel was very well-received, garnering a couple of nibbles from Hollywood.

Always the Baker, Never the Bride was released by Abingdon Press in September 2010. With its phenomenal reviews, the novel spawned a series of three more books based on the popular cast of characters at The Tanglewood Inn, a wedding destination hotel in historic Roswell, Georgia. The series cemented Sandie's spot in publishing as a flagship author of Laugh-Out-Loud romantic comedy for the inspirational market.

"Being allowed to combine my faith and my humor with my writing dream," says Bricker, "well, that's the best of all worlds, as far as I'm concerned!"    

ABOUT THE BOOK

Grayson McDonough has no use for teal ribbons, 5k runs, or ovarian cancer support groups now that his beautiful wife Jenna is gone. But their nine-year-old daughter Sadie seems to need the connection. When Annabelle Curtis, the beautiful cancer survivor organizing the memory quilt project for the Ovacome support group, begins to bring out the silly and fun side of his precious daughter again, Gray must set aside his own grief to support the healing of Sadie’s young heart. But is there hope for Gray’s heart too along the way?


If you would like to read the first chapter of Raw Edge, go HERE.



Watch the book trailer:



MY THOUGHTS:

Raw Edges is a touching story of loves lost and loves found all due to the devastating disease of ovarian cancer.  The memorial quilt created in this novel is something quite precious and I found myself thinking, 'wow. maybe I could bid on it'. Then I came back to reality and remembered it was only up for auction in the novel. 

Ms. Bricker does an outstanding job in depicting the pain and anguish of losing someone to cancer and also the pain and anguish of recovery from cancer. Her characters were real and the pain of losing someone was real. I know first hand how devastating cancer can be as I have lost six family members to the disease and have one breast cancer survivor in my family.

What I loved most about this book was the character of Sadie, the nine-year-old going on thirty year old daughter of the male lead, Gray McDonough. She is a precocious young lady who has taken on the role of looking out for her daddy. I also loved the journal that Gray's wife Jenna wrote to Sadie during her journey and battle with ovarian cancer. I laughed and cried but loved the teaching that the journal presented to Sadie but also to the reader as well.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to read a good clean contemporary novel and more importantly to anyone whose life has been changed due to cancer.

On a 5-Star Scale = 5 Stars.  Well done Ms. Bricker.

I would like to thank Christian Blog Alliance and  Abingdon Press for my review copy. I received my copy for free in order to read and give my honest review which I have done.

Smiles & Blessings,

If the Shoe Fits by Sandra D. Bricker - My Review and Giveaway

I have to say that the story of Cinderella has always been a favorite of mine. So when I was given the opportunity of reading If the Shoe Fits I jumped at the chance since I heard it was based on the story of Cinderella. The fact that the author was Sandra D. Bricker was another reason to read the book as she has a knack of creating fun and entertaining stories.

If the Shoe Fits is the story of childhood friends, Julianne Bartlett and Will Hanes both attorneys who, as the story begins, have just opened up their own law practice together. Will has loved Julianne from childhood but Julianne only sees him as her best friend.  Julianne believes that her Prince Charming is out there and one day he will come and sweep her off her feet. In the opening scene, Julianne sees who she believes is her true Prince Charming and she takes it as a sign from God that he is the one for her.  What transpires afterwards is true Sandra D. Bricker magic as she creates a fairy tale world based in reality.

Ms. Bricker's characters are believable and draw you into their world with no coaxing at all. You find yourself part of their world and sorry when you have to say goodbye. The Christian thread was not overpowering and I felt that there was a moral to the story.  I felt the moral was "when we step out of the way and allow God to open our eyes to His plan we will find our dream come true".

I would highly recommend If the Shoe Fits to anyone who loves to read.  It is a laugh-out-loud masterpiece of pure delight.

On a 5-Star Scale - 5 Hilarious Stars!!!!!

I would like to thank Moody Publishers for my review copy. I received my copy for free in order to read and give my honest review, which I have done.

* * * * * * * * * 

************ GIVEAWAY RULES  ************

1.  Giveaway is open to US and Canada

2.  No PO Boxes please.

3.  You MUST be a Google Friends Connect follower of my blog (please be sure to leave the name you follow under in your comment)

4.  For extra entries you may do one or all of the following:

    -- become an email subscriber +1

    -- invite a friend to become a follower of my blog.  If they become a follower & mention your name, you will both receive 2 extra entries

5. Include an email address where I can reach you if you are selected as the winner of this giveaway.  Please enter your email address in this format    winner[at]yahoo[dot]com

Giveaway will run through October 5th and the winner will be selected using Random.Org

Smiles & Blessings,